Machine for feeding coiled sections



'l April 25, 1931?, c. A. NICOLA! Er AL l 1,905,046

MACHINE FOR FEEDING COILED SECTIONS Filed Oct. 8, 1930- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN April 25, 1933. c. A. NlcoLAl El' AL. 1,905,046

MACHINE FOR FEEDING CO'ILED SECTIONS V Filed ot. 8, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 2 /llmm l n "n uw@ I In Mmml 4 A ATTORNEY Patented pr. 25, 1933 if'UNirEofsrAT-Es,

PATENT 01u-ica` CHARLES A. ICOLAI AND ERIK LINDEGrAARD,1O1? BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY,

VANI@ MACHINE Vnon Fannmecorman SECTIONS Application lcd October 8, 1930. Serial No. 487,238.

This invention relates Ito a device for feeding coiled lamentary sections and relates more particularly to a machine for selecting and removing a coiled section from a plurality of such sections. n l. Y

Inthe manufacture of incandescent lamps it has beenfound desirable to provide helically coiled filaments of given lengths to be used as the light source. Machines are provided for ceiling fine lilamentary Vwire vto helical form and for cutting the coiledl wire into sections of suitable lengths as for eX`- ample as shown in PatentV No. 1,670,499.

These ilamentsor coiled sections are of minute proportions and-extremely difficult tohandle as for example when it is. desirable to feed them to a machine such asis shown incopending application Serial No. 368,311V

filed June 4, 1929 and assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention. machine disclosed in the said application operates to stretch the coils to uniform lengths and means must be provided for feeding coils thereto individually. `.This may be accomplished by hand but owing to the diiliculty encountered Vin handling the coils attempts at hand feed result in a tedious drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is aplan View of'a coil feeding mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention;

- Fig-.2 isa perspective view of a portion of the machine shown in F ig. 1;

`ld"ig.'3 isa side elevational View of the machine partly in section where hatched;`

K Fig. 4 is-a perspective View ofthe mechanism shown in Fig.- 1, and

Fig..5 is a detail View of a portion of the machine showing a hopper and conveyor.

The

The selected embodiment of the invention may comprisek a main driving shaft 10 journaled in a bearingV 11l secured to a table or bed plate 12, one end of the shaft 10 is provided with a pulley 13 and a belt 14 leading to any suitable source of power, as for eir-k ample, a motor (not shown). v

Mounted on the shaft 10 and' at onesidev of thebearing 11 is a cam member 15 at the opposite side of the bearing and also mounted on the shaft 10 is a cam member 16. The

bar 18. oppositely tapered portions converging toward-the center of the passageto allow for a' rocking movementy of the bar 18 while the same is linked tothe bar 17.

For the purpose ofv retaining the bars in given parallel relation, pairs of lock-nuts 31 and 32 are provided at opposite sides of the enlargement 29. The ends 23 -and 25' of the bars'18 and 17 are thus heldin fixed relation. Opposite ends 3 2 and 33--ofthe bars 17 and 18 are connected by a doubletoggle mechanism 34 comprising links 35 and 36 and links 37 and 38. The links 35 and 36 are pivotally connected-at 39 and the links 37 and 38 are pivotally connected at 41. I

The end 33 of the barv18is provided with a slot 42 in which a pin 43 is slidable which pin pivotallyconnects links .and 37 TheV end 32 of the bar 17 is provided with a shaft 44 upon which links 36 and 37 are pivotally mounted. As shown the end 32 of the bar 17 is bifurcated to provide space to mount the links and blades. The link 36. is provided with a blade 45 integral therewith and the link 38 is provided with a blade 46 integral therewith. A. helical spring'47 .con-V nects the central pivots 39and 41 of .the toggle device, causing them to move .toward each other and thus tending to close the ASSIGNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE LAMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLf Y 28 provided in'an enlargement 29 on the,79

The passage 28 is provided with blades which operate in the manner of a pair of shears, the edges of the blades, however, are relatively dull so that when closed they grip instead of cut any object therebetween.

The toggle device 34 maintains the ends 32 and 33 of the bars 17 andl 18 in a normal parallel relation but by reason of the toggle a slight variation in the difference between the positions of the ends of the bars may be effectedv to' open and close the blades 45 and .l toggle mechanism 34 and effecting an opening of the gripping members.V This opening'operation ismerely the changing of the relative positions of the gripper members so as to allow them to have a reverse movement d to grip a coil.

By reason of the friction clip or'bralre 50 the jaws are positioned to grip a' coiled section' and are moved into the mass of sections, one'of which will be forced against the inter-I secting edges of the blades or gripper members. For the purposev of permitting thel gripper blades to pass through the quantity of coiled sections a slot 51 in the hopper and an opening V52 in Vthe table are provided.

.-Asl the cam 16' continues to operate to effect a reverse movement of the bar 17 and 18"the movement of the bar 17 will be retarded by the brake 50 thus the bar 18 will lift', lengtheni'ng'f thetoggle mechanism 34 and causing the members '45'and 46V to close and' grip a" coiled section 53 as shown in Figs'. 2 and 3.

The coiled section will thus beheld and elevated as the bars 17 and' 18"mov"e upwardly. p

When the coiled section is" in its uppermost position a rockery plate 54 is moved (by means to be presently described) beneath the velevated coiled section. T he plate 54 in conjunction witha'AA plate 55 forms a trough-slia'ped receptacle 56 to receive the coiled section when released from the gripper members.

A release of the coiled section is effected' bythe action of the cam 16, which is'provided with a depression 57 intoV which the rollery 24 drops causing a slight change" in the'relativepo'sitio'ns ofthe ends32-a'nd 33 of. the bars-V 17 and 18 bringing themin slightly closer relation causing` theV toggle mechanism to collapse slightly and open the gripper members tol release the elevated coiled section which will then drop into the receptacle 56.

As the coiled section makes contact with the surface of the plate 54 it straightens out and rolls down to the bottom of the trough at which time it is discharged onto a conveyor 60 which may comprise an endless belt 61 mounted on suitable rollers 62 and positioned to-transport coiled sections to another A machine.

Means for discharging the coils may comprise the plate 54 which is rockable on a shaft 63. One end of an arm 64 is secured tothe shaft 63'and a linlr 65 is pivotally connected to the other end of the arm 64 and one end' of an arm 66y which latter is rockable onVV a pin 67 projecting from the lower portion of the bearing 11. An upper end 68 of the arm- 66 is held engaged withv the face of cam 15 by a helical spring 69. Thus as the shaft 10 rotates the cams 15 and 16 the cam 16 a'ctuates the mechanism for operating the gripper members and the cam 15 oscillates `the plate 54. This plate when rocked about the shaft 63 providesV a slotor passage 71 (see Fig. 5) through which the coiled segment may drop into the conveyor.

The movement of the rocker platey 54 is so timed as to be in position to receive a coiled segment when it drops from the gripper members and guide plates 72 are provided at each side of the said members so that as the segment drops and straightens out it will be guided to the plate 54. When the segment leaves the trough-shaped receptacle 56 it travels down an inclined surface 73 which isl provided with slots 74 to permit the passage of spacer blocks74 on the conveyor. These blocks are arranged inrows disposed in spaced relation and as they pass beneath' the surface 73 they engage a segment which is then carried away by the conveyor.r

It will' ber understood that theY coiledfilamentary sections are of fine hair-like proportions an'd that the movement of the gripper blades need be only very slight so that the resilient connection between the ends of the rocker arms afforded by the toggle con'- nections, makes it possible to insert thevr gripper blades into a quantity of coiled filamentarv bodies to select and remove a single body. The blades as they press im@ the pas of coils are slightly forced apart andas'soon as there is only space at the gripping portion of the blades for one coil,v the blades operate to remove the coils individuallyrfrom a. mass. The removed coil when lifted is held in a loop shaped position ybut whenthe coil is dropped on tothe guide plate it immediately straightens out and as it travels down the guide plate' and is discharged it hasv assumed its natural position and drops on to the conveyor ready to be moved to another machine for a different operation.

Although a preferred embodiment lof the invention may be made as shown and described herein, it is to be understood that modications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for feeding coiled sections comprising a hopper for supporting a plurality of sections, lifting means for removing a section from said hopper, a rocker plate, means for moving said lifting means over said plate for the deposit of a section on said plate and means for actuating said plate to discharge said section.

2. A machine for removing a coiled filamentary section from a group comprising a. pair of cooperating gripper blades, means for moving said blades into a group of sections, means for actuating said blades to secure a section, means for elevating said blades, a rocker plate, means for moving said plate beneath said elevated blades and means for actuating said blades to release said section for deposit on said plate.

3. A machine for removing a coiled filamentary section from a group comprising a pair of cooperating gripper blades, means for moving said blades into a group of sections, means for actuating said blades to secure a section, means for elevating said blades, a rocker plate, means for mpving said plate beneath said elevated blades, means for actuating said blades to release said section for deposit on said plate and means for actuating said plate to discharge said section.

4. A machine for removing a coiled rilamentary section from a group comprising a pair o cooperating gripper blades, means for moving said blades linto a group of sections, means for actuating said blades to secure a section, means for elevating said blades, a movable member, means for moving said member beneath said elevated blades, means for actuating said blades to release said section for deposit on said member, a conveyor, and means for actuating said member to discharge said section onto said conveyor.

5. Aomachine for feeding coiled lilamentary sections comprising a hopper for a quantity of said sections, a pair of cooperating gripper members, means for actuating said members to grip and remove a coiled section from said hopper, a receptacle, means for moving a portion of said receptacle to position beneath said members and means for actuating said members to release said gripped section for deposit in said receptacle.

6. A machine for feeding coiled iilamentary sections comprising a hopper for a plurality of coiled sections, a pair of rocker bars, a pair of gripper blades mounted on ing said bars to move said blades into said coiled sections and means operating to move said bars" atv different -rates of movement to cause an actuation of said blades to grip a coiled section.

7 A machine for-feeding sections of lilamentarycoils comprising a hopper for a plurality of said coils, an upper and a lower rocker bar mounted in parallel relation, means at ends of said bars for causing an oscillatory movement thereof, coil gripping means at the other ends of said bars, and means intermediate said last mentioned ends for actuating said gripping means upon an oscillation of said bars to grip a coil.

8. A machine for feeding sections of lilamentary coils comprising a hopper for a plurality of said coils, upper and lower rocker bars mounted in parallel relation, means at ends of said bars for causing an oscillatory movement thereof, coil gripping means at the other ends of said bars, means intermediate said last mentioned ends for actuating said gripping means upon an oscillation of said bars to grip a coil, a conveyor, and means for releasing said coil for deposit on said conveyor.

9. A machine for feeding sections of filamentary coils comprising a hopper for a plurality of said coils, upper and lower rocker bars mounted in parallel relation, means at ends of said bars for causing an oscillatory movement thereof, coil gripping means at the other ends of said bars, means intermediate said last mentioned ends for actuating said gripping means upon an oscillation of said bars to grip a coil, a receptacle, and means for releasing said coil for deposit in said receptacle.

l0. A machine for feeding sections of lilamentary coils comprising a hopper for a plurality of said coils, upper and lower rocker bars mounted in parallel relation, means at ends of said bars for causing an oscillatory movement thereof, coil gripping means at the other ends of said bars, means intermediate said last mentioned ends for actuating said gripping means upon an oscillation of said bars to grip a coil, a receptacle, means for releasing said coil for deposit in said receptacle and means for opening said receptacle to discharge said coil.

l1. A machine for feeding sections of lilamentary coils comprising a hopper for a plurality of said coils, upper and lower rocker bars mounted in parallel relation, means at ends of said bars for causing an oscillatory movement thereof, coil gripping means at the other ends of said bars, means intermediate said last mentioned ends for actuating said gripping means upon an oscillation of said bars to grip a coil, a conveyor, a rocker plate adjacent to said conveyor,

means for releasing said gripped; coil for deposit on said plate and means for rocking said plate to discharge said coil onto said Conveyor.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 23d day of Sep tembei 1930.

. CHARLES A. NICOLAI.

ERIK LINDEGAART). 

